Vietgone

Vietgone

  • March 30 - October 29, 2016
  • Thomas Theatre
  • by Qui Nguyen | Directed by May Adrales
Overview
Artists
Video
Reviews
Run Time: Approximately 2 hours, 20 minutes, including one intermission.

The new Americans

The waning days of the Vietnam War, refugees leaving their lives behind—it’s the stuff of sobering news stories, right? Not always. In this brash new comedy, three young Vietnamese immigrants make their way through the bewildering landscape of 1970s America, a land filled with incomprehensible language, awkward customs, and a canvas as big as a Hollywood movie. At turns hilarious, profane, exuberant, and unexpectedly touching, Vietgone uses audacious dialogue, pop culture and an action-packed road trip to breathe life into the stories of these strangers in a strange land.

Vietgone was commissioned and first produced by South Coast Repertory with support from the Time Warner Foundation.

Suitability suggestion: Vietgone contains consistent strong profanity, sexual dialogue and sexuality. This humorous and warmhearted look at a seminal moment in American history, seen from a Vietnamese perspective, may be best suited to mature high school students who are able to handle the adult nature of the play.

Theatrical fog, herbal or e-cigarettes, strobe lights and the sound of gunshots and explosions may be used in this production.

“...a mad, postmodern pastiche that jumps around in time and quotes memes from the pop culture of the ‘70s and elsewhen...”
— Medford Mail Tribune


“...a beautifully realized and personal work...”
— The Siskiyou Daily News





Vietgone


Los nuevos americanos

Los últimos días de la Guerra de Vietnam, refugiados abandonando a sus vidas – de eso se hacen las sobrias historias de noticiero, ¿verdad? No siempre. En esta descarada comedia nueva, tres inmigrantes jóvenes de Vietnam buscan la manera de entender el paisaje desconcertante de la América de los 1970, una tierra llena de idioma incomprensible, costumbres incómodas y un lienzo tan grande como una película de Hollywood. Entre divertidísima, profana, exuberante e inesperadamente conmovedora, Vietgone emplea diálogo audaz, cultura pop y un viaje de aventura para dar vida a las historias de estos extranjeros en una tierra extraña.

Vietgone contiene frecuente profanidad fuerte, diálogo sexual y sexualidad. Esta exploración humorística y afectuosa de un momento seminal de la historia americana, visto por un perspectivo vietnamita, pudiera ser mejor indicada para estudiantes maduros de preparatoria que puedan manejar la naturaleza adulta de la obra.

Para información en español, por favor llame a 541-482-2111 ext. 242.

Creative Team

Playwright
Qui Nguyen
Director
May Adrales
Scenic Designer
Sara Ryung Clement
Costume Designer
Sara Ryung Clement
Lighting Designer
Seth Reiser
Composer & Sound Designer
Shane Rettig
Video Designer
Shawn Duan
Dramaturg
Lydia G. Garcia
Voice & Text Director
David Carey
Fight Director
Qui Nguyen
Associate Fight Director
U. Jonathan Toppo*
Hip-Hop Coach
Production Stage Manager
Karl Alphonso*

Cast

Quang/Ensemble
James Ryen*
Tong/Ensemble
Jeena Yi*
Asian Guy/American Guy/ Nhan/Khue/Ensemble
Will Dao*
Asian Girl/American Girl/ Thu/Huong/Translator/Flower Girl/Ensemble
Amy Kim Waschke*
Playwright/Giai/Bobby/ Captain Chambers/Redneck Biker/Hippie Dude/Ensemble (March 30–Sept. 4)
Paco Tolson*
Playwright/Giai/Bobby/ Captain Chambers/Redneck Biker/Hippie Dude/Ensemble (Sept. 8–Oct. 29)
Moses Villarama*
* Member of Actors' Equity Association (AEA)
**AEA Professional Theatre Intern
  • Vietgone image

    Trailer

    Don't miss this fiercely funny and deeply intimate new play.

  • Qui Nguyen and May Adrales

    Director/Playwright Interview

    May Adrales and Qui Nguyen talk about the inspiration for the play and their collaboration.

  • Scenic Artist image

    Snapshot: Paint Treatments to Create a Pop Art Feel

    Scenic Artist Amanda Haverick explains how they created the pop art, comic book feel to this set.

  • David Carey image

    Snapshot: Voice and Text Work in Vietgone

    Head of Voice & Text Director David Carey talks about his goals in working with the actors in this production and the challenges and satisfactions presented as they rehearsed.

  • image

    Snapshot: About That Deerskin Jacket

    Costume Design Assistant Mary Scott explains the historic significance of the deerskin jacket worn in VIETGONE.

  • Daily Tidings logo

    Ashland Daily Tidings

    The playwright has delivered a sexy, stunning piece of theater — a rock-and-roll love story that turns concepts about race, culture and the idea of "other" firmly on their head.

  • Times Standard logo

    Eureka Times-Standard

    “Vietgone” is an amazing piece of contemporary theatre that musn't be missed!

  • Mail Tribune logo

    Medford Mail Tribune

    "... a mad, postmodern pastiche that jumps around in time and quotes memes from the pop culture of the ‘70s and elsewhen ... nothing less than a foundation myth for Vietnamese-Americans not entirely unlike what Shakespeare did for Protestant, Renaissance England in the Henriad."

  • Siskiyou Daily News logo

    Siskiyou Daily News

    "...a beautifully realized and personal work ... that has a wonderful heart and soul at its center, that just happens to include sex, drugs, rock ‘n’ roll, war, and ninjas to boot."